Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Chimwemwe Chipungu has handed over 40 completed houses to the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) at Mvera Support Battalion in Dowa District.
The houses have been constructed under the 10,000 Housing Units Project for Security Institutions, which aims to improve accommodation for security personnel.
Speaking during the handover ceremony on Thursday, Chipungu said the government remained committed to completing the project despite challenges affecting its implementation.
He also disclosed that the government plans to construct an additional 2,500 houses in the next financial year.
Chipungu said his ministry was working to resolve issues affecting ongoing projects, including outstanding payments to contractors, to ensure construction work progresses smoothly.
He commended Tapita Development Company and other contractors for continuing with the work despite the challenges, while urging them to meet their contractual obligations and maintain the required quality standards.
However, he said the tendering of the remaining 6,000 housing units had been deferred due to the current economic challenges, with the government prioritising the resolution of issues affecting ongoing projects.
Although the housing programme was initiated under the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government, Chipungu said the current administration remained committed to seeing it through.
Meanwhile, Minister of Defence Feston Kaupa said the new houses would help ease accommodation challenges facing the MDF and improve the morale of military personnel.
“It doesn’t get better than this. We have been lamenting about accommodation challenges for our officers. Witnessing the handover of these houses, I am very excited to get to this milestone,” said Kaupa.
The handover was attended by First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Victor Musowa and Presidential Adviser on Youth Dyton Mussa, among other officials.
The government says the housing programme is intended to provide decent accommodation for security personnel and improve their living conditions as they serve the country.
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